


The Circle Mage

by lululachance



Series: Heroines of Dragon Age [2]
Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Circle of Magi, Elf Mage, Gen, Mage Origin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-14
Updated: 2014-12-14
Packaged: 2018-03-01 11:14:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2770970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lululachance/pseuds/lululachance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The story of a young circle mage, an elf named Surana.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Circle Mage

**Author's Note:**

> Prologue:
> 
> The Circle was the only life Surana had ever known. She had been confined to those walls for as long as she could recall. She didn’t mind being a Circle mage, not entirely. She was grateful for the roof over her head, the warm bed she slept in, and the hot meals that kept her going. Living in the Circle even gave her access to a vast library, in which she spent most of her hours, studying not only magic, but the history of her people, the elves. When her face wasn’t buried in a book, Surana was out exploring the tower with her best and only friend, Jowan. But Jowan wasn’t as content with the Circle life as his elven friend, and often spoke of elaborate schemes in which they would escape and live as apostates together. Surana went along with his ideas, humouring him, knowing full well they’d never work.

Surana sat, cross-legged on her bunk, a thick leather-bound book heavy in her hands. She was engulfed in the tales it told, reading every page twice to be sure she hadn’t missed anything. She sat for hours, unmoving, absorbing every word, until the very last. When she emerged it must have been after lunch as the dormitory began filling up, Surana hadn’t even realised she missed a meal until her stomach growled deep and hungry. She closed the book carefully and climbed out of her bed. Her legs were stiff and sore, but nothing a little circulation couldn’t fix.

As she exited the dorm, she noticed her friend, Jowan speaking with a sister of the Chantry, no, not speaking, whispering. She carefully approach the pair, making sure her presence was noticed.

“Eh hm,” she coughed, smiling at her friend and his companion.

“Oh! Surana... Uh, hello...” Jowan stammered, his face growing a slight shade of pink.

“Uh... I must be off...” the sister excused herself and hastily fled the scene.

“What was that about?” Surana queried, curious as to what Jowan was doing with a sister of the cloth. It wasn’t like him to keep secrets from her.

“N-Nothing...” he stuttered, still pink, “Don’t worry.”

“You’re lucky I’m too hungry to press the issue,” she joked, grabbing hold of the human’s arm, “I accidentally read through luncheon again, let’s go see if the kitchens are still open.”

Jowan rolled his eyes at her, “You need to stop doing that, Surana.”

The elf pulled him along towards the lower levels of the tower, where the kitchens were located. On the way she spoke of all the interesting things she had read, Jowan feigning interest.

“I don’t know why the Chantry tells us the Maker is the only god, when the Dalish have so many!” she spoke low enough so only her friend could hear her.

“Watch what you say, Surana!” he warned, “Even when you whisper, the templars can still hear.”

“Then why were you whispering with that sister earlier?” she teased.

Jowan was pink again, “Wh- Never you mind!” his defence amused the elf.

“You’ll have to tell me one day, you know,” Surana giggled as the two apprentices approached the doors to the kitchen.

There a templar stood guard, clad in heavy armour. His face was familiar to the elf, she had seen him on duty near the dorms.

“Wh-What are you two doing down here?” he demanded, though his tone didn’t convey the authority an older, more experienced templar’s might.

“My friend here foolishly missed lunch,” Jowan answered.

“Hey! It wasn’t foolish!” she gently slapping Jowan’s arm in protest.

“You shouldn’t be here,” the templar ordered, “You’ll have to wait for dinner...” he was trying hard to sound threatening, like his brother-templars, even though it pained him to deny the poor girl food. And then, as if on cue, Surana’s stomach growled once more, loud and low. She blushed with embarrassment, but it seemed to sway the templar.

“Oh! Sorry...” the elf wrapped her arms around her own abdomen as if to hush it, though it didn’t help.

“I really shouldn’t be doing this... But be quick!” he stood aside, allowing them into the kitchen. The two mages hurried in, taking a few pieces of fruit each, then hurried out. The templar shut the door once they left the room and stood before it, as if he never moved. “Go!”

“What’s your name?” the elf asked before heading off to enjoy her lunch.

“Uh... Cullen...” he stammered, unsure if it were wise to give a mage his name. But she only smiled at his response.

“Thank you, Cullen,” her small hand extended towards him, clutching an apple, offering it. “I’m Surana.”

He took the apple, which he’d later regret, but at that moment her smile made his heart pound and his cheeks grow hot. “G-Get out of here before you’re caught...”

**Author's Note:**

> Tabris is my canon Warden, but I'm really attached to my Surana. So I decided to give her her own life... for now.


End file.
